Bangladesh former premier freed from prison

Dhaka, Sept 11 (PTI) Former Bangladeshi premier Khaleda
Zia was Thursday released from prison on bail after a year's
detention, as part of an apparent deal between her and the
military-backed interim government.

Zia, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
(B.N.P.) walked free from a makeshift jail at parliament
premises about 11.45 am local time as all necessary papers for
her release had reached the jail authorities Wednesday night.

She then drove straight to her husband former President
Ziaur Rahman's grave.

Hundreds of leaders and activists including senior party
men chanted slogans to cheer her freedom. Some of them also
freed pigeons and balloons to celebrate the her release.

All legal impediments to Khaleda's release were removed
with the HC granting her three months' ad-interim bail in last
two graft cases on Tuesday.

The government has detained Zia and her son from her
residence on September 3 last year from their residence in
Dhaka Cantonment on graft charges.. She was implicated in four
cases of corruption. A local court sent her to a sub-jail
the same day.

Her elder son Tarique Rahman is expected to leave the
country soon for treatment abroad as he was also released on
bail in all 13 cases filed against him on charges of
corruption.

Her younger son, Koko, who had been released on July 17
through a government executive order, left for Singapore on
July 19 for treatment.